Personal Experience Programming New Muscle Memory for Guitar Players
1,665
Published 2023-02-08
The 3 steps in developing muscle memory:
1. Cognitive (your head is in it). Doing a motion while thinking about what it is you're doing and forcing yourself to do that motion. This is the most frustrating and you're not making much progress. Analogous to a car trying to climb an icy hill and it's constantly sliding back to the bottom.
2. Associative where you can associate this new movement with success. The car finds dry pavement and gains traction and you're able to feel, see, and hear progress.
3. Autonomous (your head is out of it). Movement becomes natural and you don't have to think about it. It becomes completely integrated in all parts of your playing - sitting down, standing up, jamming, performing on stage, etc.
Major steps:
1. Self awareness. Recognition there is something you want to change and then identifying what it is you want to change. Find a role model and watch that person (a lot).
2. Identify a single movement you want to develop and practice that motion in front of a mirror. This is part of the "Cognitive". Try using new motion in a song and in different modes of play (sitting, standing, jamming, performing).
3. You start to feel success (Associative) and want to practice and play more.
4. You no longer have to think about it. It's completely integrated (Autonomous)
All Comments (20)
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I’m 48 years old and this is the best I’ve ever heard this explained. It is a very hard process changing old ways. Thank you
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This is a great lesson! I just turned 60 I’ve been learning over the last 3 years. It’s amazing when something that was unattainable at first shows up after months/ years of practice.
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You are so right!! Reprograming old musle memory is a struggel!! Relearning from a guitar tab a song that you have been playing wrong for years is hard. I have often thought if I could identify what the obsticals are that limit my ability to learn new concepts. Have often thought I could get insainly rich if you could develope a sytem of learnig and being able to learn and memorize info while in your dream state!!! Amagine the potential of it.🤓
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you are an inspiration. thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge and experience. I just turned 62 and i recently bought a guitar. i am excited and frustrated with it. i will keep going though!
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Thank you for this video. I crushed off a my ring finger a few months ago, making a lot of my 50+ years of muscle memory useless. I’m starting over with huge knowledge, but a whole different kind of hand. You give me hope.
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Thank you for the excellent content!
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Thanks Mike ❤
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I did some video exchange with Brayn Sutton about right hand. There was a lot of interesting stuff. It wasn't helpful at that time, but after couple years of practicing I get what he said just now , but on the level of feeling. Main thing about his right hand I'd say that his fingers are just like the end of the whip, and the whip is his whole arm, that rotate and throws the wrist, with the pick at the end, into the strings He Also does a lot of pick landing on upper string. He rarely does double escape motion
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See you Sunday! So good. Best one yet.
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So many great thoughts in here, Mike. So glad to stumble upon this. Thanks for sharing.
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Great instruction and playing. Thank you
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great help thank you
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Thanks for the very detailed descriptions. Your taking the time to give examples and explain things is excellent. I will be watching more
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Nice to hear someone with your ability has struggled with this. Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks Mike. You put in words what I've struggled with over the years. I'm still working with it.
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Thank you. This is so helpful for me. I get stuck in the same patterns and I think you’ve given me a way to better understand what is happening. Your analysis of this process is brilliant.
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You are fantastic in your explanation of challenges encountered. Thanks so much for your intuitive take. I wonder if I am worthy of talent, but after watching what you experienced, I’m definitely worthy. Enjoying your show, keep up the great work! Thanks from Canada!
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Thanks so much for this Mike … I’m in the same place you were and this video has given me some great pointers to help me improve my speed and power …. Hopefully !!!!
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Thank you Mike for this encouragement :) I am left-handed and learn to play guitar right-handed. It is just better overall this way. I can do this relaxed floating from the wrist picking motion with my left hand with no problem. My right hand is a different story. I have to put my wrist on the bridge to pick faster. It does not feel right this way. It feels better to anker with my pinkie or float. It is sometimes frustrating to know that i can already execute this technique with my left hand and not my right. Again thank you and i will stick to it :)
